Federal Campgrounds in Kentucky

Federal coverage only. This directory lists campgrounds on federal land (Forest Service, Park Service, BLM, Corps of Engineers and other agencies) from the Recreation.gov RIDB export. State-park, county and private/KOA campgrounds are out of scope.

Kentucky has 64 federally managed campgrounds offering 2,893 overnight sites across three agencies. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates the largest share with 51 campgrounds, primarily along lakes and waterway projects throughout the state. The U.S. Forest Service manages 7 campgrounds in the Daniel Boone National Forest, and the National Park Service operates 6 campgrounds, including facilities at Mammoth Cave National Park. Of these 64 campgrounds, 62 accept advance reservations through the national system.

This overview covers federal campgrounds only. State parks, privately owned facilities, and chain campgrounds like KOA are not included here. For current site availability, detailed amenities, and to make reservations at these federal locations, visit Recreation.gov, which maintains real-time information across all federal agencies. Availability and services vary by location and season, so checking the platform directly is recommended before planning your visit.

How to read the Kentucky directory

Use this page as a starting map of federal camping in Kentucky: the agency split tells you whether you're mostly looking at national-forest sites, park-service grounds or Corps-of-Engineers lakeside camps, and the busiest rec areas below point to where the campgrounds cluster. Every name links to its live Recreation.gov page for current site counts, photos and booking.

Largest federal campgrounds in Kentucky

• Baileys Point · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 215 sites · Scottsville
• Twin Knobs Campground · U.S. Forest Service · 207 sites · Morehead
• Zilpo - Daniel Boone Nat. For. · U.S. Forest Service · 169 sites · Salt Lick
• Moutardier · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 167 sites · Leitchfield
• Wilderness Road Campground · National Park Service · 154 sites · Middlesboro
• Axtel · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 153 sites · Mcdaniels
• Holly Bay · U.S. Forest Service · 138 sites · London
• Holmes Bend · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 126 sites · Campbellsville
• Kendall Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 119 sites · Jamestown
• Canal · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 115 sites · Grand Rivers
• Mammoth Cave Campground · National Park Service · 111 sites · Mammoth Cave
• Wax · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 110 sites · Clarkson
• Grove · U.S. Forest Service · 99 sites · London
• The Narrows · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 90 sites · Glasgow
• Smith Ridge · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 80 sites · Campbellsville
• North Fork (Ky) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 79 sites · Mcdaniels
• Dog Creek (Ky) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 70 sites · Cub Run
• Cave Creek · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 63 sites · Falls Of Rough
• Laurel Branch · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 61 sites · Mcdaniels
• Pikes Ridge · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 60 sites · Campbellsville
• Hurricane Creek · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 51 sites · Grand Rivers
• Tailwater · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 49 sites · Scottsville
• Fishing Creek Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 46 sites · Somerset
• Littcarr Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 45 sites · Sassafras
• Buckhorn Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 35 sites · Buckhorn

Ranked by overnight-site count from RIDB; “n/a” means the site count isn’t published (often a first-come or dispersed area). Each name opens the Recreation.gov facility page.

Compare every managing agency → · Reservable vs first-come in Kentucky → · Choosing a Kentucky campground →

Compiled from the federal RIDB export, verified June 2026. How we compile this. Confirm current details on Recreation.gov.